A commercial driver training partnership between Fleet Force Truck Driving Training and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) is helping prepare new drivers for the workforce as Florida faces more than 23,000 open CDL jobs.
Fleet Force provides its four-week commercial driver’s license training program in partnership with SCF, giving area students access to accelerated, hands-on training designed to prepare them for careers in the trucking industry.
Fleet Force Truck Driving Training and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota have developed a public-private workforce partnership aimed at preparing more commercial drivers for the transportation industry. Through the partnership, SCF provides the college and workforce-development infrastructure while Fleet Force delivers specialized CDL instruction, including classroom and hands-on driver training. The two organizations have also collaborated on apprenticeship programs, workforce grants, student recruitment, career assistance and efforts to make CDL training more accessible.
The partnership has received state workforce funding over the years as SCF and Fleet Force have expanded training opportunities in response to Florida’s shortage of commercial drivers. Fleet Force also operates from SCF’s Bradenton campus, where the truck driving school is located within the college’s Professional Development Center.
This week, Fleet Force celebrated a major milestone with its 10,000th graduate. Charity Gaston was recognized as graduate number 10,000, while Drexyl Eitniear became the program’s 10,001st graduate.
The four-week program takes students from introductory classroom instruction to hands-on experience behind the wheel of commercial vehicles. During the first week, students learn the fundamentals of trucking and commercial vehicle operation. By the second week, they move outside to practice backing and vehicle control. Training progresses to more advanced maneuvers, including parallel parking a roughly 50-foot trailer, before students prepare to take their CDL test during the final week.
The milestone comes as the transportation industry continues to face a significant shortage of qualified commercial drivers. Florida currently has more than 23,000 vacant CDL positions, while the nationwide need for drivers is expected to grow substantially over the next decade.
Commercial drivers play a critical role in the economy, transporting food, household products, construction materials and other goods used by residents and businesses every day. Driver shortages can leave trucks idle and add pressure to supply chains.
Fleet Force is now aiming to train another 10,000 drivers, with its partnership with SCF providing a local pathway for people interested in entering the industry.
Program leaders say the short-term training can provide students with a relatively quick transition into a new career. Depending on experience, employer and type of trucking work, CDL careers can include competitive pay and benefits, with some positions offering the potential for six-figure earnings.
Fleet Force is also partnering with Swift Transportation to connect students directly with potential employment opportunities. Students who enroll in the training program from now through the end of 2026 will receive a guaranteed interview with a Swift Transportation recruiter.
The hiring initiative is intended to shorten the path between training and employment at a time when trucking companies are competing for qualified drivers.
For Fleet Force and SCF, the 10,000-graduate milestone highlights the role career and workforce training programs can play in addressing industry shortages while providing Manatee County residents with another route into an in-demand profession.